Fish-trap.



1. UMSTTTER.

FISH TRAP.

APPLICATION FILED SEPLZI, 1914.

Patented Apr. 6, 1915.

j gli@ THE NDRRIS PETERS co., PHDTCALITHO., WASHINGvroN. D. c;

JOHN UMSTTTER, or NEW YORK, l1v. Y.

FISH-TRAP.

Specification of Letters Patent Application led September 21, 1914. Serial No. 862,674.

T0 all whom it may concern Be it known that I, JOHN UMSTTTER, a citizen of the United States, and residing at New York. in the county of New York and State of 1New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Fish- Traps, of which the following is a specification, such as will enable those skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

This invention relates to fish traps, and the object thereof is to provide an improved device of this class which is particularly designedfor use in catching small fish, eels and the like, but which may be made of any desired size and used for any of the purposes for which traps of this class are usually intended; a further object being to provide a trap of the class specified which may be compactly folded together when not in use. y

The invention is fully disclosed in the following specification, of which the accompanyingk drawing forms a part, in which the separate parts of my improvement are designated by suitable reference characters in each of the views, and in which y Figure 1 is a side view of my improved `v trap; Fig. 2 a transverse section on the line 2-2 of Fig. 1; Fig. 3 a view similar to Fig. 2 and showingthe trap partially folded together in full lines and indicating the same completely folded together in dotted lines:

and, Fig. 4 a section on the line 4-4 of Fig. 1. v

My improved trap is oblong and rectangular in form and comprises an oblong body portion a composed of similar opposite side members and c, and similar top and bottom members d and c. The side members b and c and top and bottom members al and c consist of oblong rectangular frames made of heavy strong wire and having wire mesh bodv portions f. y

` The top and bottom members or frames d and e are divided centrally and longitudinallv into separate similar parts which are hinged together at Z2 and e2, and the side members b and c and the top and bottom members d and c are hinged together as shown at g.

For the purpose of this description. the end a2 will be called the front end, and the end a3 the rear end ofthe trap, and the frontend ofthe trap is provided with a. conical, inwardly directed inlet device composed of four separate similar triangular partsv h2 consistingof triangular frames and wire mesh body portions, and two of the parts h2 are hinged to the front ends of theside frame'members b and 0,'as shown at 7a3, and the other two, or the top and bottom parts h2, are hinged to the side parts h2 which are hinged to the side frame members, and as shown at h4, and the top and bottom parts h2 are also hinged to the front patenten Apec, 1915. l

'ends of the top and bottom frame members v i d and e, or the side portions thereof adj acent to thefhinges h4 as shown at h5, and in folding thejtrap together, as shown and in'-v dicated in Fig.` 3, the top and bottom parts h2 of the conical inlet device h at 'the front end of the body of the trap fold onto the opposite side members h2 of said inlet device to which they are hinged.

The'rear end a4 of the trap is provided with a door c' comprising a rectangular frame member 2 and body 3 of wire mesh, and this door is hinged to the side frame member b of the trap, or the rear end por'- tion' thereof, as shown at i, and a spring 5 is secured to said frame member Z) and nor.-

mally servesto hold the door 2' in a closed position, but this door may be folded inwardly in the operation of folding the parts of the trap together. y

I also provide springs cured to the side frame members b and c and top andbottom frame members d ande as indicated in Figs. l and 2, and whichv normally serve to hold the separate parts of y' which are sethe trap in the expanded position, as shown V in Figs. 1 and 2. and other springs 7c arc connected with the front end portions of the frame members b and c, d and c and bear on the triangular inlet frame members 7i and normally serve to hold the same in operative position, as shown in said figures. In Fig. 3 of the accompanying drawing, I have shown in full lines the first step in folding the separate parts of the'trap together, and the complete folding thereof. and from this figure it will be seen that the trap may be folded when not in use into a compact bodyJ which may be conveniently carried or packed for any purpose.

1I also connect with the top of one of the side frame members b-c spring hook de-V vices m and when the side members 'b and c have been compactly folded together, as4r dicated in dotted lines"iii`Fig. 3, theseh'ook have indicated in dotted lines devices m may be used for securing the side frame members b c together as indicated 1n dotted lines 1n Fig. 3.

The inner end portions of the trap mem-Y bers h2 are cut off', or the entire inlet device 7L is made truncated in form to provide an opening a through which the fish, eels and the like pass into the trap, and this opening may be made ofv any desired size.

My invention is not limited to the matei rial herein specified, nor to the division censcribed mayV be made, within the scope of the appended claims, without departing from the spirit ofy my invention or sacrificing its advantages.

Having fully described my invention,

'i 'l what I' claim as. new and desire'to secure by Letters Patent, is i l, A collapsible trap of the class described, comprising an oblong body portion composed of four. oblong, rectangular, openwork, side frames hinged together@ said trap both whenset for'use and when collapsed being rectangular in form in both longitudinal and cross section, said body portion being also provided at one end with a hinged and' spring controlled door which is adapted to fold inwardlyv and at the opposite end with an inwardly directed, tapered ori-truncated device composed `of four similar. triangular parts two of which are hinged together andtwo of which are hingedV to the front end portions of two ofthe side frame members, saidgside frame members being also provided with spring devices which nory ,Y mally serve to hold the parts ofthe trap in an expanded position for use, the triangular inlet frame members being also provided with springs for a; similar purpose, andv two oppositey side frame members of the body portion being composed of 'separate parts l hinged together. centrally and longitudi-y nally thereof.

2. A collapsible trap of the class de- Sfgbed., Comprising an Oblong, body PerY tion C Ompgsed Ofgfour Oblong, rectangular, openwork, side frame members -hinged to-v gether; said body portion being rectangular both in longitudinal and cross section when set for use, and being also rectangular in longitudinal and cross section when collapsed, and` said body portion being prof' vided( at onev end with a hinged and spring @nies Q1! this Patent. may, he obtained' for live,

msgs

members thereof in which operation the i' side frame members which are composed'of separate parts fold inwardly. f x

3. A collapsible trap of the class described, comprising'an oblong body portion composed of four, oblong, rectangular, openwork, side frames hinged together; said body portion being rectangular in form both inlongitudinal and cross Wsection when eX- panded for use and also when collapsed, and said body portion being provided at one end with a door which opens inwardly and at the oppositeend with an inwardlyV directed, tapered or truncated inletcomposed of four similar triangular parts adapted to be folded together, two opposite side frame members being composed of separate parts hinged together centrally'and longitudinally thereof and said body'portion being collapsed by pressing the other opposite side framemembers thereof inwardly in whichoperation the side frame members composed of separate parts fold inwardly.

4. A collapsible trap of theA class described, comprising an oblong, rectangular body portion, composed of four oblong, rec-- tangular, Vopenworl, side frames hinged together; saidrbody portion being oblong and rectangular in form when expanded for use and also whenl collapsed, and said body portion being also provided at one end thereof with a hinged door and at the opposite end with an inwardly directed, tapered or truncated inlet device composed of four similar triangular parte part 'of which are hinged. together and partl to the front end portionV of said side frame members, two` opposite side frame members being composed of sepgrate parte hinged together Centrally and' longitudinally and said body portion being adaptzddo be collapsed by pressure applied to other opposite side frame members.

i 1n testimony that` l claim the foregoing as my invention I have signed my name presence of the subscribingv witnesses this 19th day of September, 1914- Witnessesf (C. Muggen,

THQMPSON- cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents,

washington, Die.

JOHN UMsTTTER. 

